Finishing seam and method



March 27, 1945. F, WEBB 42,372,632

FINISHING SEAM AND METHOD Filed Nov. 18, 1942 Irvin/c7 IC7 0952) WLLWM Patented Mar.27, 1945 FINISHING SEM AND METHOD Irving F. webb, Elizabeth, N. J.. assigner to The .Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application November 18, 1942, Serial No. 466,007

1 claims.

'I'his invention relates to improvements in methods of and seams for joining fabric-sections and in articles of manufacture having fabricsections joined by stitched seams.

In the manufacture of high-grade raincoats and other such articles, in which the proximate margins of fabric-sections are united by stitched seams, diiilculty has been experienced heretofore in providing a seam which would be completely watertight. It has been found that much of the leakage which persisted in prior seams was due to the fact that the stitches used therein were .exposed upon the inner and outer surfaces of the which extends along the upper surface of fabricsection, Il.

A line of straightaway stitches I5 is then formed in the fabric-sections and tape plies so as garment and as a consequence the stitches acted as wicks to carry moisture from the outside `of the garment to the inside thereof.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a new watertight seam for sewed articles, which is particularly adapted for joining sheets of Waterproof material and is constructed so that the stitches thereof are protected from moisture.

The invention will be understood from the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing which illustrates the improved seam and the method .of joining fabric-sections and in which:

Fig. 1 represents two superimposed fabrics with their edges bound by a strip of waterproof material and having a line of straightaway stitches uniting all four plies of material, comprising an' initial step inl the formation of a waterproof seam.

Fig. 2 illustrates a second step in the forming o f a waterproof seam which step is made by folding the upper fabric ply of Fig. 1 partially about the line of stitches.

Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the finished seam formed by folding the lower tape edge of the binding strip of Fig. 2 about the line of stitches and securing the same against the fabric by adhesive means.

to uniteall four plies thereof. f 'I'he uniting of the overlapping margins of the fabric-sections I and I I with the binding ply of the tape I2, as described, constitutes an initial step in the joining of said fabric-sections, and the uniting stitches I6, made by hand or by machine, may be of any suitable or preferred form.

The seam is then opened, Fig. 2, by folding that fabric-section II which is in contact with the shorter tape portion I4 substantially 180 about the line of stitches l5.

In order to have the stitches completely enclosed within the seam. the longer marginal portion I3 of the tape I2 is thereafter folded backwards about a line I6 substantially removed from go but parallel to the initial joining seam I so as to form a covering ply which extends over the already covered juxtaposed fabric edges to engage the other fabric section II. By thus folding the tape I2 about a line I6 which is wellremoved vfrom the line of stitches I5 it will be insured that the stitches will be properly covered and sealed by the tape.

In the final operation, a heated pressing tool is applied to the seam to cause the heat-softenable tape I2 to become soft and adhesive and in such condition it will, under pressure of the tool, adhere to the respective fabric-sections I0 and I I thereby to effect a sealed water-tight seam. In this operation care must be taken to insure that the portion of the tape I2 which is in engagement with the fabric-section III and disposed between the line of stitches I5 and the line IG is properly pressed into place, thereby to prevent any mois- Figs. 2 and 3 are coated with a plastic film of the Fig. 4 illustrates the three-ply structure of the y binding material.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the fabricsections or sheets I0 and Il toy be joined are superimposed one upon the other so that the edge portions which are to be seamed are in juxtaposed relation. Preferably a heat-softenable tape I2 of the vinyl resin type is then'folded about the juxtaposed fabric edge portions to form a binding plyl having the marginal edge portion- I3 thereof extending along the lower surface of the fabric-section I0 to a greater distance from the juxtaposed edges than does the edge portion Il ed tape will intimately iiow into the indentations of the fabric-sections and adhere thereto, thereby to effect a seal.I

When ,applied to raincoats, the seam face shown in Fig. 3 which bears the exposed portion of the seam-sealing tape Il is preferably worn to the inside of the garment.

The heat-softenable tape I2 may comprise a I sin le of a vinyl type resin strip or may. as illusatliyin Fig. 4, comprise three plies of material; the middle ply. i1 being scrim and the outer two plies Il being vinyl strips. The three plies of this strip are fused into a single pliable tape which is easier to handle than the pure vinyl tape as the latter, when in its form of thin strips, is

seam is formed. It will also be understood that/ the present invention, in its broader aspects, is not limited to any specific means for uniting the fabric-sections, nor is it limitedto any specific stitch-formation in its more limited sense.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claimherein is:

1. 'I'he method of forming a finishing seam, comprising placing a Ibinding tape about the edge portions of superimposed fabric-sections, uniting said fabric-sections and said tape by a line of stitches, separating said fabric-sections by folding one fabric-section 180 about said line of stitches, folding that free edge portion of the binding tape which underlies the unfolded fabricsection about said line of stitches and placing the same against the folded fabric-section, and adhesively securing said binding tape and said fabricsections together.

2. The method'of forming a finishing seam, comprising placing a binding tape about the juxtaposed edge portions of superimposed fabricsections so that one edge of the tape extends a greater distance from the juxtaposed edges of the fabric-sections than the other, uniting said fabric-sections and said tape by a line of stitches. separating said fabric-sections by folding that fabric-section which is in contact with the narrow tape edge portion 180 about said line of stitches, folding the wide tape edge portion about a line at one side of said stitches and placing the same against the folded fabric-section, and securing said binding tape and said fabric-sections together by an adhesive means.

3. The method of forming a seam, comprising placing a heat-softenable binding tapeabout the juxtaposed edge portions of two superimposed fabric-sections so that one edge of the tape extends a greater distance from the edges of the fabric-sections than the other, uniting said fabric-sections and said tape by a line of stitches, separating said fabric-sections by folding that fabric-section which is in contact with the narrow tape edge portion substantially 180 about said line of stitches. folding the wide tape por- 4. The method of forming a seam, comprising Vplacing the proximate margins of two fabricsections in lapped relation with the body portion of each fabric-section extending in an opposite direction from the other, enclosing the lapped marginal portion of at least one of said fabricsections within a strip of heat-softenable material, uniting the two fabric-sections and the strip of heat-softenable material Iby a line of stitches, placing a covering ply of heat-softenable material across the lapped margins of the fabric-sections to cover the exposed stitches on one side of the seam, and adhesively securing the heatsoftenable material in piace by means of heat and pressure.

5. A seam, comprising a first sheet of material, a second sheet of material having a margin thereof inturned. said inturned margin being in juxtaposition with a margin of said first sheet, the body portion of each sheet extending in an opposite direction from the other, a binding tape having a first edge portion thereof disposed between theinturned margin and the body portion of said second sheet, said binding tape extending about the juxtaposed sheet edges to lie against the marginal portion of said first sheet and having its remaining portion folded back on itself. so that a second edge portion of the tape extends beyond'the juxtaposed sheet edges to lie against the body portion of said second sheet, and adhesive means between said binding tape and said sheets for securing the contacting portions together.

6. A seam comprising a first sheet of material, a second sheet of material having a margin thereof inturned, said inturned margin being in juxtaposition with a margin of said first sheet, the body portion of each sheet extending in an opposite direction from the other, a line of stitching passing through said first sheet and the inturned margin of said second sheet, a binding tape having a first edge portion thereof disposed between the inturned margin and the body portion about a line at one side of said line of l stitches and placing the same upon the folded fabric-section, and adhesively securing the binding tape upon said fabric-sections by means of heat and pressure.

tion of said second sheet, said binding tape extending about the juxtaposed sheet edges to cover the exposed line of stitches and to lie against the marginal portion of said first sheet, and adhesive means between said binding tape and said sheets for securing the Acontacting portions together.

7. A seam. comprising a first sheet of material, a second sheet of material having a margin thereof inturned. said inturned margin being in juxtaposition with a margin of said iirst sheet, the body portion of each sheet extending in an opposite direction from the other, a heat-softenable binding tape having a first edge portion thereof disposed between the inturned margin and the body lportion of said second sheet, said binding tape extending about the juxtaposed sheet edges to lie against the marginal portion of said first sheet, and a line of stitches passing through said first sheet, the inturned margin and the binding tape which is folded about the juxtaposed sheet edges,

the second edge portion of said tape being folded back on itself to cover the line of stitches and to lie against the body portion of said second sheet. said tape being adhesiveiy secured to said first and second sheets of material.

IRVING l. WEBB. 

